Form trowel



FORM TROWEL led July 25, 1923 2 vSheets-Sheet 1 T. MILLER FORM TROWEL Filed July 25, 1923 2 sheets-Sheet Il f4 a Tel-1123 Mil-LEI Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES TERRY L. MILLER, OF FAIRMONT, WEST VIRGINIA.

FORM TROWEL.

Application led July 25,

My present invention relates to trowels and more specifically to form trowels for use in the art of masonry.

The primary object of the invention is to provide form trowels which will give the workman an absolute control over the placing Vof plastic material.

Another object of the invention is in the provision of form trowels which will enable the layman to efficiently place an even layer of plastic material.

y Other objects of the invention are to provide form trowels capable of being aoljusted for placing layers of plastic material of different thickness, and yeach capable of being operated while held in the one hand of the operator, the other hand being free for use in handling brick or other structural elements.

Other objects of my invention will appear in the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one type of the improved form trowel as used for laying bricks of standard size, and various sizes of building tile.

Figure 2 is an end elevation ofthe saine.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the type shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a central vertical section taken yon the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a modili'ed form trowel as used for laying concrete blocks and various sizes of building tile.

Figure 6 is an elevation of the same.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the type shown in Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a central vertical section taken 'on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the form trowel.

In using the ordinary brick trowel, the mortar is placed along the center of the bricks and then by drawing the point of the trowel along in the mortar itis forced to the outer edges of the brick, leavingV a hollow or depression in the mortar above the center, of the bricks. This is done in order to make the brick easier to press into place for levelling. This requires the eEorts of a skilled mason as it requires more skill and time to place the mortar than to place '7 the brick. With my improved form trowel,

V,the ordinary layman may place the mortar 1923. Serial No. 653,807.

onthe bricks in even layers of substantially uniform thickness, and if a wall is started level 1t will stay level without much attention of the workman.

vIn the drawings, the improved form trowel comprises a receptacle A having straight side walls B and C, straight end wall D, arcuate wall E; F an adjustablefdie held inanadjusted position by device G; H a pivoted plunger having secured thereto packing l; J a nger engaging element associated with said end wall; and K arnger engaging element associated with said pivoted plunger.

rEhe receptacle A is preferably but not necessarily made of sheet metal and is provided with an outlet 10 at the lower portion of the end wall D which extends for the entire width of the container. The arcuate wall E may be provided with lips 11 bent at rightangles thereto for fastening to the side walls B and C as by rivets 12. The arcuate wall E may havel the axis of its radius at a point which forms the axis of the pivoted plunger Hand have one end thereof deiining the lower margin of outlet 10.

'j The adjustable die F comprises a rigid die member 13 and movable die member 14. The rigid member 13 is provided with flanges 15 and 16 onoutwardly diverging relation with respect to the sides of opening 10 secured to the side walls B and C respectively as by rivets 17 and connected together by the integral strip 18 disposed beneath the arcuate wall E. The lower edges of the flanges 15 and 16 are preferably parallel to the top edge of the receptacle A while the forward edges of the flanges as at 19 may slope upwardly toward the receptacle in order that the die may be placed in corners. The movable die member 14 is provided with the portion 20, of a. width equal to that of the receptacle A and adapted to lie against the end wall D. The lower portion of the die member 14 is bent outwardly as at 21 and is of a. shape to slidably engage the confronting faces of the flanges 15 and 16.

This portion 21 slopes downwardly towards its outer end, the purpose of which will be more fully disclosed hereinafter.. Centrally of the port-ion 20, a vertically extending slot 22 is provided to allow for adjustment of the movable die member 14 forrestricting the outlet 10. i

The device Gr for holding the movable die member 14; in any desired position may include a bolt 23, the shank of which extends through the pliable material I, end wall D, and slot 22 of the movable die member- 11i. A nut 24: and a washer 25 are provided at the outer end of the bolt 23 for frictionally holding the die member 141: in any desired position by the tigl'itening of the nut 24.

The pivoted plunger II for forcing plastic material to the die includes a plate 26 being curled at one end for receiving a pivot pin 27 carried by the side walls B vand C. The plate 26 is o f a dimension slightly less than that of thereceptacle A and flares outwardly as at 23` for bearing against the confronting 26 for wiping engagement with the side walls B and C and the arcuate wall E. The

- down turned end of the material I is held in engagement with the inner face of the end wall D byan elongated washer or strip 31 carried by the bolt 23. This down turned portion is provided in order to prevent escape of the plastic material when the plunger is forced downwardly. It can be seen that the radius of the arcuate wall E is equal to the length of the pivoted plunger I-I, and that as the plunger swings downwardly the free end 32 of the material I will travel in an arcuate path in constant engagement with the arcuate wall E. lVhen the plunger is swung downwardly, the pliable material will flex as at 33, and the plastic material will be vforcedto the die F. I have provided a strap K secured to the plate 26 of the plunger I-I to be engaged by the thumb of the 'operator for moving the plunger.

The adjustable finger engaging strap .I may be carried by a member 34 bent upon itself and securely fastened to the upper end of the end wall D as by a rivet 35.

The form shown in Figures 5-6-7-3, is identical with the form shown in Figures 1-234 except for the adjustable die and it is thought to be unnecessary to further describe such other than the adjustable die.

The adjustable die F as shown in the modified form vcomprises a rigid die member 36 and movable die member 37. The rigid die member 36 is provided with the spaced apart flanges 38 and 39 in converging relation relatively from opening 10, secured to the side walls B and C respectively as by rivets 40, Vsaidfianges provided with horizontal `ianges 38 and 39 and being connected by the integral strip 41 which extends beneath the lower end of the arcuate wall E. The flanges 38 and 39 are preferably parallel to the top edge of the receptacle A while the forward edges of the flanges 38 and 39 as at Lil may slope upwardly toward the receptacle A in order that the die may be placed in corners. The movable die member 37 is provided with the portion L12 of a width equal to that of the receptacle A and adapted to lie flat against the end wall D. y The lower portion of the die member 37 is bent outwardly as at 43 and is of a shape to slidably engage the confronting faces of the iianges 38 and 39. This portion 43 slopes downwardly towards its outer end, the reason for which will be more fully disclosed, The adjustment of the die member 37 is accomplished as by the means G. It can be seen that in both forms, the side flanges of the dies determine the width of the material being placed while the outer edge'of the die member 37 determines the thickness thereof. In use, the de vice is grasped in one hand, the fingers being placed in the finger engaging element J, and by placing the thumb in the finger engaging element K the plunger I-I may be swung free of the receptacle A. The re-` ceptacle may now be filled by either scooping up a sufficient quant-ity of plastic material or using a second implement for filling the receptacle. The trowel is now' placed with the lower straigit edge of the die F flat against the surface where the plastic material is desired, and then by a pressure of the Y thumb on the plunger H and at the same time drawing the trowel over the surface, an even layer of plastic material will result. As the trowel is being drawn over the surface, the downwardly sloping portion 21 of the movable die member 1li forces the plastic material into engagement with the surface and the resistance caused by the material adhering to the surface as the trowel yis being moved, tends to aid the material from the receptacle. It can be seen that aneven layer of material of any desired thickness maybe placed on the wall, thereby allowing the bricks to be placed even without the necessity of having to press each brick into place. This will not only result in the saving of time, but will also enable the layman to Vcronstruct a wall without the skill required to place the plastic material with the lordinary brick trowel.

Changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention; but,

I claim:

1. In a form trowel, the combination of a receptacle for holding plastic material having straight side walls, a straight Vend wall having an opening at its lower end, and an arcuate wall, a die adjacent the juncture of said end and arcuate walls,.and a plunger pivotally disposed between the side walls of the receptacle and adapted for swinging movement toward the end Wall for forcing the material through said opening and to the die, the free end of said plunger to bear against the inner face of said arcuate Wall, and the edges thereof against the side Walls.

2. In a form trowel, the combination of a receptacle for holding plastic material having straight side Walls, a straight end Wall, and an arcuate Wall, a die adjacent the juncture of said end and arcuate Walls, a pivoted plunger in said receptacle for forcing the material to the die, said plunger including a plate of a dimension less than the interior of the receptacle, a strip of pliable material secured to said plate and extending outwardly from the edges thereof for wiping engagement with the arcuate and side Walls, and co-related linger engaging elements carried by said receptacle and plunger.

3. In a form trovvel, the combination of a receptacle for holding plastic material having straight side Walls, a straight end Wall, and an arcuate Wall, a die adjacent the j uncture of said end and arcuate Walls, a pivoted plunger in said receptacle for forcing the material to the die, said plunger including a plate of a dimension less than the interior of the receptacle, a strip of pliable material secured to said plate and extending outWardly from the edges thereof for wiping engagement with the arcuate and side Walls, said strip being so related with respect to the end Wall and side Walls as to prevent escapement of the plastic material when the plunger is forced downwardly, and co-related finger engaging elements carried by said receptacle and plunger.

TERRY L. MILLER 

